Monday, May 12, 2014

Meditation Retreats School Rishikesh

Shree Mahesh Heritage 15 Days Meditation Program is a unique
spiritual growth practice course. Using various method of Vedic and healing
tools of meditation. This retreat program is for them whowant to develop their intellect power and
pass through self realization process. Teaching process at meditation school
rishikesh is based on mindfulness, transcendental ,Vipassana,Trataka and mantra
meditation method. Here you will be experiencing aligning energy body to ,mind
and soul while practicing self awareness process thru various learning process.
It is an opportunity for referring all Method and aspects of Meditation
duringfortnightly course or a 28 Days
Meditation Teacher Training Program.

Coverage
– Importance of Meditation ,Steps of
Meditation for beginners , guidelines – time, do and do not’s .

Yoga and meditation
– how close to each other are these two ?

Body postures which align your mind to contract energy body
and transcendental mind togethertakes
you to experience inward flow to self. Yoga postures are deeply related to
mudra’s and mudra’s are part of practicing meditation.

Why Meditation
?

In general terms Spiritual Guru advise you to do meditation.
The reason behindmeditation is to see
the bestsolution to keep your mind
balanced and move toward spiritual growth. As you know well that many people in
their hectic life style forget to live natural life and start practicing
technical and cosmic mixed life living. Output – stress, anxiety ,depression,
dieses , mental fatigue , physic illness.

Aspects of the
Mind – In meditation the stream . does not flow outward , but
inward. In order to understand an object you cannot possibly let the attention
flow onto the external object ; you must exmine your own ( or consciousness )
which apprehends and sees an object. The “I “ Cannot possibly know what it is,
because the vibrations that are emanated by it enter the sense – eyes , ears ,
etc. – and they are gathered by that aspect of the mind which is called manas (
the coordinating agent or the registrar of the mental university). For
instance, if you look at a tape- recorder , the eyes see something , the ears
hear something and the hands feel something. All these sensation are gathered
together and co-ordinated by the manas. With that information the mind
approaches another department , the memory bank or citta. “ Did you see
anything like this before ?It is black
and has a handle sticking out, such and such dimensions and makes a noise all
the time. What is it ? “ The memory bank says , “ Tape recorder.”

The whole thing is projected again on the what is called the
buddhi, or awakened intelligence. Buddhi is not a dull , routine , mechanical
intelligence , but awakened intelligence which can recommend and give valued
judgement , e.g “ It’s a good one, “ It’s not such a good one ,” “ I can afford
it, “ “ I cannot afford it. “ Then the entire thing is again presented to what
is known as ahamkara ( egotism) which issued orders : “ Right, I” ll buy it. “
I don’t want it. “ “I’ll steal it. “ It may be dangerous, “ etc. So to deepen
yourself and practice the awaken life and with full of concisenessto be living on spiritual path. Meditation is
a pathway to healing your body and provide an active energy flow inward to
awaken you mind to balance with mindfulness.

The world around us presents various experiences through the
senses – the ears ,eyes , nose, the tactile sense and the sense of taste. At
least through the first four the world constantly pours into your mind; and yet
what you do not pay attention to immediately does not exist , ( at least it is
not perceived). In the same way, perhaps , the memories of all the events that
have taken place since our birth are stored in the brain , but until the
attention or selective perception is focused upon a particular memory, is it
not revived. For instance , the morning when I was looking for a name , as soon
as I looked at that person the attention was focused upon that particular bit
of memory, and the name was remembered. This happened to us all the time. It is
concentrating our attention that makes us revive this memory and enables us to
perceive the world. So concentration is not something that is only part of yoga
practice , but something which we do nearly all the time- otherwise if all the
memories that were stored in your brain suddenly made themselves manifest now,
you would go crazy. For instance , when you go to the theatre or watch a
Western movie film all your attention is gripped there – You don’t even know
who is sitting next to you. This gives you an indication that it is possible
for you to focus your attention. They yogi wants to know how to make this
happen. To deliberately and voluntarily focus the attention upon something, is
concentration. If somebody watches your breathing while you are concentrating
and entering into the meditative mood , he will see that the breath becomes
very fine and smooth.

In meditation ( Vipassana) the breathing becomes so fine
that you almost do not notice it – there is no deep breathing at all, the
breath is nearly suspended. The entire force of the mind – the beam of
consciousness- seems to flow in one
stream. Mind is a flowing thing, it is not static. You can’t arrest it or
bottle it up. When you think you have stopped the functioning of the mind you
only think you have stopped it.

How to start
Practicing -To concentration is to
let the mind flow in a single direction and let this happen where and how you
want.There is a restriction of the spatial
dissipation of mental energies. For instance, at one time you can hear
something , you see all sorts of things , you smell cooking , you feel the
chill wind, you are thinking partly of what you are going to do tomorrow – all
the rays of the mind are dissipated; when all the rays are gathered together
and beamed on a single object, this is dharana or Concentration.

Though ultimately the distinction ( or the division or
distance) between the experience and the experience has also to be abolished ,
the yogis insist that you become aware of what you are doing at the moment –
though thatawareness is not Meditation.

Meditation – Trataka –
Simple Method : Here is simple procedure which is due course will enable
you to enjoy deep meditation” 1. Sit preferably facing east ( the sun rises in
the east ) or north ( there is great power in the north pole) with a symbol of
God or a lighted candle or lamp placed in front of you at eye level. The best
posture is , of course , padmasana or lotus posture.If you
cannot do this , sit in any comfortable position with the spine erect.

The best time is from 4 am to 6 am., but if this is not
possible do it as soon as you wake up. It is good to have a quick bath, but if
this is not possible without loss of the good morning hour, have a quick wash
of hands , feet and face.

2. Chant a few hymns or offer your own prayer , audibly , to
the Lord. This is like switching the radio on and turning it . Raise the mind
to a higher level. Imagine you are in the presence of God. This may appear to
be self hypnotism , but the result are astounding .

3. Chant Om deeply , concentrating on the solar plexus,
feeling that the sound – vibrations travel upwards towards the crown of the
head , through the vagus nerve. The actually will.

When they reach to throat region , close your lips and
continue Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm and let the sound “fade out ‘ at the crown of the
head. Do this three or six times.

4. If the Om- Chanting has not succeeded in completely
turning the mind inwards, and especially if there is some external disturbance,
do this: breathe deeply , but effortlessly , and at the same time close the
glottis a little bit , so that the breath produces some sound. ( it is not the
vocal cords, but the glottis that helps to produce this sound – not unlike when
you are suffering from a mild cold.Let this sound also fade away. Do not stop
abruptly. You will find that your mind follows this sound and ‘ goes inwards’.

5. Breathe slowly now.(Mostly used method under Vipassana
Meditation ) -Watch the breath. Now
listen to it without producing any sound , even with the throat.

6. Mentally repeat your mantra ( any name of God or sacred
formula or OM) now, as you breathe in and out , without straining the breath.
Associate the mantra with the breath – this is the trick. Repeat it once while
you breathe in and one while you breathe out. If the mantra is long , break it
into two ; repeat half while inhailing and half while exhaling.

7. Keep looking at the picture , symbol or flame in front of
you. ( That is what you have been doing all the time , at least from step 4).
But transfer that symbol to within yourself. Feel that the image is in your own
heart. “ Sees’ it there. Do not stare at the picture or flame in front of you –
if you do your eye will get tired and begin to smart – but let the symbol go
out of focus. Do not worry. Your eyes will not blink , water or smart.

8. Now close your eyes , and visualise that image of God.
Feel his presence within your heart . Let it be radiant and ‘ living’ .

9. Gradually let the image expand till it occupies your
whole body, the room in which you are sitting and eventually the whole world.
Feel this. Feel that you yourself are just a little part of God, but one with
Him. This must lead to meditation. That which you visualise now will become
real in due course.

10. Sit like this for minimum period of 20 minutes.
Gradually increase the period. If, by the grace of God and guru you lose body-
consciousness and enjoy sitting , carry on ! The prescribed time is only the minimum.

11. After this , offer a prayer to the Lord for the health
and long life of the sick ( Whom you can actually visualise in front of you)
and peace and prosperity of those who are suffering. This is very very
important. This is the greatest service you can render to humanity. You feel
your oneness with all – that is the spirit of No.9 above. You can easily
radiate health , happiness and joy.

12. Get up slowly . Do not immediately run away. Take a few
minutes before you leave the meditation – room. Your mind and your nerves were
extremely calm during this practice and if you suddenly jump out of that mood
and rush into company, you might ‘ injure’ the nerves. This is very important.

13. Do not sit for this practice within two hours after
meal. Do not wear tight clothing.

14. Do not eat anything for half an hour after this
practice. And, do not take a bath immediately either.

15. If you wish to do a few rounds of pranayama, you may do
so before you start this meditation- practice, or soon after step 2 above.

What does Meditation do?

Meditation restores that knowledge ,that understanding.
Meditation is the direct and immediate observation of the arising of the “ I” ,
with no meditator at all.

Meditation on the
Self’ ?The Self is the meditator and the self in
meditation contemplates whatever it contemplantes; and whatever it contemplates
it becomes, because that contemplation and the Self are not two different things.
That thing itself becomes you. ‘You ‘ becomes ‘ that’ becomes you. There is no
distinction whatsoever. It’s quite simple and beautiful. The Self is
intelligence , the Self is the essence of the unconditioned mind, the pure
mind; and in that there is an idea, a thought , a dream , a vision.

Meditation does not mean closing the eyes ! Self awareness
means awareness throughout the day. There is self- awareness as I am sitting
here talking to you. As you are sitting here listening , can you also watch yourself
? Can you also watch what is happening to the mind all the time ?

When you can do this you discover , firstly , that this bad-
temper, falsehood, greed and so on are disturbances to the mind and therefore
painful. Only when you realise, can you see directly for yourself that what you
and I call evil is painful – not because you see what someone else told you,
but you see for yourself that is painful.

Secondly – Which is even more interesting – by this
self-awareness you see that there is absolutely no difference at all between
the emotion of hate and the emotion of affection. ( I don’t want to use the
word love.) Both hating and affection involve the same charge of energy ;
though you see that affection is very pleasant thing, while hate is unpleasant
, painful. When you can see this for yourself , then you have won the battle.

Mantra Meditation - Why to meditation on mantra’s ? You cannot really focus your attention on
things which are created by something or other from outside. If, for instance,
you try to contemplate a feeling like aggression, there is no aggression or
excitement. You realise that you were excited for some time ago, but now you are
not. Therefore a specific voluntary mental activity, which can be observed , is
introduced inthe form of a mantra. You
are observing the mind or the citta, but only a specific field – the mantra
sound that is heard. ( If you have learned how to observing that mantra you
have also learned how to observe every mood that arises in the mind – fear ,
worry etc.)

Your eyes may be directed at the tip of your nose, your
forehead or wherever you want to look, but you are not looking out at all. If
you are serious in the practise of concentration itdoesn’t make the least difference if your
eyes are open or closed. IF you have resolved that you will not communicate
with another it is easy to keep the eyes open in meditation. But when there is
the possibility of communication, Keeping the eyes open may be a distraction.

The eyes do not see what you think you see ! what the eyes
see, only the eyes know. You do not know ! When the attentionis directed to the mantra within, the eyes
can do what they want to do. Even this we have experienced in our life,
sometime or other. For instance, when you areenjoying yourself on the beach and suddenly you remember that you have
left the washing machine on<, then you are not seeing what you are looking
at , you looking at what goes on within you !

When it comes to the use of a mantra in japa, make sure that
your whole attention is listening to the mantra. The attention is focused on a
specific field. The mantra should not be vague, but absolutely clear. When the
observing intelligence is locked in with the object of its own observation –
that is, only these two exist in the world – there is complete and total
concentration. Only the observer and the observed exist.

For a moment you realise that even the observed is reflected
in you, it is not outside of you. It becomes clear in the example of the
mantra. When you think you are repeating the mantra, you hear the mantra; when
you think you hear the mantra, you are repeating the mantra. They are two
aspects of the same thing, they become interchangeable. When the whole mind is
occupied by the other person. If this has not happened to you, you don’t know
how to love !) You are aware of nothing other than this mantra , but you are
aware of a division between the one who repeats the mantra and the one who
listens to the mantra. There is division there: ‘ I ‘ hear the “
Mantra”.

Then comes the last state. You repeat the mantra and focus
all your attention on a until that sound becomes uppermost. You have then
avoided the distractions and there is clarity of vision.

When the mantra is the only thought (or object) that occupies the mind
, that is called meditation already. But it is not a rigid static
affair, because the mind – being vibrating consciousness – is not still , in
the sense of dead matter. ( It is very much like the sunshine in which we
sit.The sun’s rays pour on us in the same way that you are focusing your
attention on the meditation object.)

There is a stream of consciousness flowing towards it, and
in meditation the object becomes clearer and clearer. You are not meditating on
the object , you are meditating in the object. It looks as though you are
entering into it, looking at it from inside. ( Standing outside and looking at
it is concentration, and entering into it is meditation.)

That is when you
begin to ask “ Am I repeating the mantra or am I listening to it?” At that
point you are entering into the mantra.

You ask yourself “ If the mantra sound is mind, What am I ?
Am I inside of it our outside of it ? If I am in it I am also the mind, ‘ I ‘
is also the mind.” The mind , which was spread out as the world , has come to
be restricted to this mantra. The only problem that remains is “ What is the
relation between this mind and me ? “ There is no verbal answer to that question,
but when it arises it is possible that the mantra sound is suddenly not heard.
( When meditation becomes deeper and the mantra alone remains – which means
that the Listener gets dissolved, meditation happens and the ‘I’ is not there –
you will know what that means.) Here the ‘me’ blends into consciousness and the
mantra blends into consciousness. Then there is no hearing of the mantra,
because ‘I’ doesn’t exist. This is something which cannot be put into words.
The mind has to be extremely alert in order to enter into this meditation.
Meditation cannot enter into you; you must enter into It. The whole of your
mind, the whole of yourself must enter into meditation –“ as if ‘I’ does not
exist. “ That is when Samadhi happens.

( Something else may pervert you from hearing the mantra –
you may fall asleep and on walking may think that you have entered into deep
meditation !It is important to
recognise that this was sleep.)

Once cannot really say when concentration ends and meditation begins ,
or when meditation ends and Samadhi begins. One flows into the other, and
therefore the three are regarded as one unit.

To Experience the live feeling of mantra meditation you can
start practicing based on information and to looking forward to yourself as a
meditation you can join Himalayan meditation retreats.

The techniques which is defined here is one of the best
practice which you can experience while doing your meditation retreats at Shree
Mahesh Heritage.

Being
located at rishikesh India, we are blessed having all those four naturally
available to let you study, feel and experience. During the course or retreat,
you will learn Vedic way of chanting ‘Gayatri Mantra’ for the purification of
intellect. You will study some selected verses from Bhagvat Gitato understand mind, meditation, Sattvic diet,
obstacles and progressive signs of meditation etc. The
seekers visiting to rishikesh loves to feed cow as a selfless service and enjoy
a sense of inner peace and tranquility (optional activity.

About Teacher : -Ram GuptaSr. Meditation Master
–SMHRishikesh, India

Completed his first professional
Yoga Education from Kaivalya Dhama, India in 1992 and after having Master
degree in Yoga and Meditation; he started delivering retreats, workshops and teacher
training courses in worldwide destinations including India, Germany,
France, Mauritius, and China etc.

His
teaching style
originates from his years of study, training and self practice in many
different Yoga and Meditation styles. He has a talent for directing people
deeper into their own experience. The simple routines and hands-on
solutions he gives people to manage their stress, improve their health and feel
positive and happier in their daily life, work for all who follow the
practices.